| Aceyalone | |
| Birth Name: | Edwin Maximilian Hayes, Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 30 September 1970 |
| Origin: | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genre: | Hip hop Alternative hip hop Underground hip hop Jazz rap Trip hop Experimental hip hop |
| Occupation: | Rapper |
| Years Active: | 1988–present |
| Label: | Project Blowed Capitol, EMI Records Decon |
Edwin Maximilian "Eddie" Hayes, Jr. (born September 30, 1970), better known by his stage name Aceyalone,[1] is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California, United States. He is a member of Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku D'Etat and The A-Team. He is also a co-founder of Project Blowed.[2] Aceyalone is best known for his role in evolving left-field hip-hop on the West Coast at a time when the West Coast was dominated by gangsta rap.[1]
Aceyalone emerged from the Project Blowed collective, considered to be the longest-running open mic hip-hop workshop.[3] He began rapping as part of the group Freestyle Fellowship, which consisted of Aceyalone, Myka 9, and Self Jupiter. Later, P.E.A.C.E. Freestyle Fellowship developed a reputation for influencing a style of fast double-time rap used by rappers like Busta Rhymes, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and Migos.[4]
Aceyalone was part of Freestyle Fellowship releases of To Whom It May Concern... and Innercity Griots and a Project Blowed compilation in 1994.
Aceyalone signed as a solo artist to Capitol Records after the Freestyle Fellowship failed to break into mainstream radio with Island Records.[4]
Aceyalone released his debut solo album, All Balls Don't Bounce, in 1995.[5] He returned three years later with the dark concept album A Book of Human Language, which was a collaboration with producer Mumbles.[6] [7] His third solo album, Accepted Eclectic, was released in 2001 and featured Abstract Rude with production from Evidence.[8] [9] [10] He released Hip Hop and the World We Live In in 2002.[11] Aceyalone's next offering came a year later, and was titled Love & Hate.[12] [13] [14] The track “Find Out” was featured on the soundtrack to You Got Served.[15] In 2006, Aceyalone released Magnificent City, a collaborative album with producer RJD2,[16] [17] followed by the Grand Imperial mixtape.[18]
Aceyalone frequently collaborates with producer Bionik, including on the 2007 release Lightning Strikes and the 2009 release Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones. Both albums explored different genres – dancehall and doo-wop, respectively – as part of Aceyalone's goal of “exploring the world of music through hip hop.” The Phil Spector-inspired Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones followed. Inspired by Spector's Wall of Sound, Motown and Bo Diddley, Aceyalone said: “I'm not from that era, but this is my ode to it. I'm just putting myself into that character as a showman and bandleader.”[19] Leanin' on Slick, released in 2013 with Decon Records, continued the retro flow of the previous release, this time taking inspiration from 1960s style-R&B and hot buttered soul.[20] [21]
Aceyalone has been noted particularly for his innovative lyrical style and content. Some attribute the double-time rap styles that emerged in the mid-1990s to Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship, although this is disputed by others.[22]
Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship were noted for their rejection of the West Coast trend of gangsta rap. Aceyalone developed strong critiques of rap music's commercialization and glorification of violence.[6]
See main article: Aceyalone discography.
Aceyalone
Freestyle Fellowship (Aceyalone with Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E. & Self Jupiter)
Haiku d'Etat (Aceyalone with Abstract Rude and Myka 9)
The A-Team (Aceyalone with Abstract Rude)